What is IPM?

Traditionally a pest is defined as any organism that interferes with production of the crop. We generally think of pests as insects, diseases and weeds, but there are many other types including nematodes, arthropods other than insects, and vertebrates. We now also deal with pests in many non-crop situations, such as human health and comfort.

The PAMS approach to IPM

Adoption of integrated pest management (IPM) systems normally occurs along a continuum from largely
reliant on prophylactic control measures and pesticides to multiple-strategy biologically intensive
approaches, and is not usually an Aeither/or@ situation. It is important to note that the practice of IPM is
site-specific in nature, with individual tactics determined by the particular crop/pest/environment
scenario. Where appropriate, each site should have in place a management strategy for Prevention,
Avoidance, Monitoring, and Suppression of pest populations (the PAMS approach). View the entire document (PDF).

IPM Studies at 3 levels of detail

Study of the IPM concept is limited only by the student's interest and time. Information below is arranged from a very quick overview to an electronic textbook

Quick, just a couple of screens: An IPM Primer

For a very quick overview, this is an outline of IPM definitions with a framework describing a generalized IPM program. Two - three screens, about 9k.

A little longer: Pennsylvania IPM Basics

Link to the Pennsylvania IPM site for a slightly more detailed discussion. You can get through this in 10 or 20 minutes, probably. Chapters include History of IPM; Principles of IPM; Importance of IPM; Overview of IPM (article); IPM Tactics; TEN Commandments of IPM; and Food Labeling with IPM

Learn at your leisure: Electronic IPM Textbook

This site is for students who can devote considerable time and energy. In fact, it is designed to support a college-level course.

As of May 10, 2005, the textbook lists 67 chapters under these headings:

Biological Control: Theory and Application

Control Tactics (Methodologies)

Computer Applications

Crop and Commodity Pest Management

Ecology and Population Sampling

Host Plant Resistance

IPM: Policy and Implementation

Pesticides: Chemistries/Pesticide Resistance

Medical and Veterinary

Urban and Stored-product

Website managed by the Southern IPM Center. Design adapted from work by the Northeastern IPM Center. Regional IPM Centers are sponsored by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Last update: October 31, 2018.